No respite from inclement weather

Thundershowers, winds forecast for next two days

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 4

Inclement weather conditions continued in most parts of Himachal today while Shimla and its surrounding areas were lashed by a storm and rain for the sixth day in a row. The local meteorological office has issued orange warning of thundershowers with lightning, hailstorm and gusty winds with speed of 40 kmph to 50 kmph at isolated places in mid and lower hills on June 5 and 6.

It has also forecast rain and thundershowers in mid and lower hills and rain and snowfall in higher hills from June 5 to June 8, as a fresh western disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lies over the Himalayan region, adding to the anxiety of fruit growers.

Shimla and its surrounding areas were lashed by rain and a storm today. The capital city received 40 mm rain in the past 24 hours while Kandaghat was the wettest with 49 mm rain, followed by Janjehli 45 mm, Pachhad 42 mm, Shimla 40 mm, Nahan 37 mm, Dalhousie 31 mm, Jubbar Hatti 24 mm, Mandi 16 mm, Solan 11 mm, Palampur and Kasauli 9 mm each, Kumarsein and Mashobra 8 mm each and Dharampur 7 mm.

The maximum day temperatures stayed three to five degrees below normal and Una in Shiwalik foothills was the hottest with a high of 37.2°C. There was no significant change in minimum temperatures, which stayed two to four degrees below normal — Keylong, Kalpa and Kufri recorded a low of 6.5°C, 7.6°C and 8.3°C, respectively, followed by Manali 10°C and Shimla 12.1°C.

Himachal received 270.6 mm average rain from March 1 to May 31 against normal rainfall of 226.6 mm, 19 per cent excess.